While Yagura and Elder Genshi were deeply engrossed in internal reforms within Kirigakure, events elsewhere were rapidly escalating.
August 31, Year 43 of the Konoha Calendar
Sunagakure, Kazekage Tower
The chilling desert wind of the late summer night swept through the village.
The Fourth Kazekage signed the final war declaration and handed it to his subordinates.
"Go. Win this war for Sunagakure!"
The high-ranking Jonin commanding Sunagakure's forces accepted the order with unwavering resolve.
"Yes! We will fight for Sunagakure until our last breath!"
Could they truly win this war?
Even now, the Fourth Kazekage was uncertain.
The battlefield was ever-changing.
Even if the Three-Nation Alliance ultimately emerged victorious, would Sunagakure be among the winners or the losers?
Rasa had his doubts.
But he had no other choice.
The death of the Third Kazekage had abruptly thrust him into power, and the fury of Sunagakure's citizens, along with Iwagakure's aggressive advances, had forced him into this war.
He had no option but to lead Sunagakure into battle.
Yet, Sunagakure's financial situation was dire—extremely dire.
Once war commenced, missions would be suspended, cutting off one of the village's primary sources of income. Meanwhile, military expenditures would skyrocket, placing an immense strain on their economy.
"One year." Rasa murmured gravely.
The war had to end within a year.
Otherwise, Sunagakure would collapse economically before it was defeated militarily.
...
That very night, a vanguard force of 3,000 elite Sunagakure shinobi, composed of Jonin and Chunin, launched a surprise attack on the vital Kikyo Mountain Fortress at the border between Sunagakure and Konohagakure.
A declaration of war without warning!
At 5 AM on September 1st, Sunagakure formally submitted its war declaration to Konoha, officially initiating hostilities!
In the diplomatic sphere, Konoha denounced Sunagakure's dishonorable sneak attack.
But no one was listening.
Later that morning, at precisely 10 AM, both Iwagakure and Kumogakure envoys arrived at Konoha's gates, presenting their own declarations of war.
The three nations had officially declared war on Konoha!
The Third Shinobi World War had begun!
...
"It's finally happening."
Receiving intelligence from across the sea, Yagura exhaled slightly, loosening his previously tense posture.
With the four other great nations locked in conflict, none of them would have the capacity to interfere with Kirigakure for the foreseeable future.
The war had started in Year 43 of the Konoha Calendar.
If things proceeded as Yagura expected, it would last three to four years, concluding around Year 46 or 47.
Clearing his thoughts, Yagura motioned for Kisame to bring over his blackboard.
He clapped his hands to gather everyone's attention, picked up a piece of white chalk, and began speaking.
Since becoming Mizukage, he had developed a strange fondness for delivering speeches.
Perhaps it was because standing at the podium made him appear taller—despite being barely 1.4 meters tall.
Slapping the blackboard firmly, the young Mizukage addressed his audience.
"Ahem! Listen up! What I'm about to say is critical!"
"After decades of relative peace, this Third Shinobi World War will surpass both the First and Second in scale! Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure have all accumulated decades of resources and power—this war will not end quickly!"
"At the shortest, it will last three years. At the longest, five. We must understand that this is not a brief conflict—it is a war of attrition!"
"This kind of war isn't decided by a single ambush, a single battle, or a single victory. It will be determined by logistics, military strength, and national endurance!"
"Thankfully, thanks to all of your efforts, Kirigakure has managed to stay out of the conflict. To be blunt, in terms of economic strength, manpower, and resources, we rank at the bottom among the Five Great Nations! If we had joined this war, our economy would have collapsed before we even had a chance to fight!"
On this point, Yagura and Rasa shared the same understanding.
But unlike Sunagakure, Kirigakure had an advantage.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Yagura crushed the chalk between his fingers, his tone firm.
"For the next three to five years, while the other nations are entangled in war, we will accelerate our development!"
"Foreign Trade, Agriculture, Industry, Infrastructure—you are the key departments! Do not hold back—carry out your plans at full speed!"
Now that war had officially begun, they no longer needed to conceal their actions.
The other nations wouldn't notice them.
And even if they did, they wouldn't have the resources to interfere.
"Let's go all in! Push forward! Keep up the pace!"
"Technology, Finance, and Taxation—coordinate with the other departments. Elder Genshi, I leave overall supervision to you."
Elder Genshi clasped his hands together, his eyes gleaming. "I will give it my all."
Yagura and the elder exchanged a firm nod.
With domestic affairs in the elder's capable hands, Yagura turned to his own domain.
"Military Affairs."
The head of the Military Department blinked in surprise. He still had a role to play?
"Ensure that this year's Academy admissions proceed smoothly. When does the semester start?"
"September 15th."
Yagura nodded. "Good. Notify me three days in advance. I want to attend the opening ceremony."
"Also, coordinate with the Foreign Affairs Department and send envoys to the Land of Artisans. We need to bring in another batch of artisans for Village of Blades."
Negotiations with the Land of Artisans had been sluggish. The officials there were hesitating, stalling, reluctant to let their skilled workers leave.
But time was of the essence, and production could not be delayed. Even with Kirigakure's existing craftsmen, the demand remained high.
Apprentices had been recruited, but training them would take at least three to six months before they became productive.
For immediate productivity and as mentors to train the newcomers, another group of experienced craftsmen was necessary.
Thus, Yagura decided to apply more pressure on the Land of Artisans.
After all, with the other nations preoccupied, no one could interfere in Kirigakure's affairs.
The Military Department head saluted. "Understood."
"One last thing. Compile a report on D-rank missions. I want a detailed breakdown and statistical analysis."
While ninja missions were profitable, they fell under the Military Department's jurisdiction as they were executed by village shinobi.
Even the Academy was under its purview, since it was directly linked to the ninja forces.
Though puzzled by the request, the Military Department head responded swiftly. "Understood."
"That's all. Dismissed!"
...
September 1st, Afternoon
Fueled by their thirst for vengeance, the Sunagakure forces fought ferociously. By noon, an additional 6,000 reinforcements had arrived, bringing their total to 9,000 troops. Against them, only 2,000 Konoha shinobi defended the Kikyo Mountain Fortress.
By 5:20 PM, after relentless assaults, Sunagakure had seized the fortress.
Konoha's reinforcements arrived half an hour too late...
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